Ice breaker



May 14, 1963 w. E. SAXE 3,089,477

ICE BREAKER Filed Sept. 8, 1958 mus/v70? WALTER E. 5AXE 5y ms ATTORNEYSHARE/S, A7501, F05 75/? 3 HARR/s United States Patent Ofi 3,089,477Patented May 14, 1963 3,089,477 ICE BREAKER Walter E. Saxe, Pasadena,Calif., assignor to The Conveyor Company, Los Angeles, Calif., acorporation of California Filed Sept. 3, 1958, Ser. No. 759,715 4Claims. (Cl. 125-23) The present invention relates to ice breakers and ageneral object thereof is to provide an apparatus which will split aconventional rectangular block of ice into small rectangular or squareblocks or" substantially uniform size and shape within a minimum ofsmall fragments.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an ice breaker whichincludes the following elements: a supporting structure providing a pathfor a conventional rectangular block of ice; two rotors mounted on thesupporting structure for rotation about spaced, parallel axesrespectively disposed on opposite sides of the path; means connected tothe rotors for counterrotating them in timed relation and in suchdirections that successive circumferential portions of the rotors movein a downstream direction along the path as they approach each other;spaced, generally radial, primary ice picks on and projecting from eachof the rotors and arranged thereon in axially spaced, circumferentialbands in planes perpendicular to the axis of such rotor and incircumferentially spaced, axial rows in planes containing the axisthereof, the bands on one of the rotors being in register with the bandson the other, respectively, and the rows on one of the rotorsregistering with the rows on the other, respectively, as the rotors arerotated in timed relation; and generally radial, secondary ice picks onand projecting from each of the rotors and located between the primaryice picks of at least one of the bands thereon, the bands on the tworotors which have the secondary ice picks therein being in register.

More particularly, a primary object of the invention is to space theprimary ice picks apart in the axial rows thereof distances sufiicientlysmall that the registering rows on the two rotors split the conventionalrectangular block of ice as it passes therebetween, and to space thepoints of the primary and secondary ice picks apart in the bandscontaining the secondary ice picks distances sufficiently small thatthese bands also split the block as it passes therebetween. For thestandard rectangular block of ice, these distances are of the order ofmagnitude of 11 inches, such a standard block of ice weighingapproximately 300 pounds and having dimensions of 11 inches by 22 inchesby 44 inches, the block being passed between the rotors with itssmallest dimension perpendicular to the axes thereof, i.e., with itssmallest dimensions extending transversely of the path. With respect tothe bands containing only primary ice picks, the points of these icepicks are spaced apart sufliciently far that such bands do not split theblock of ice as it passes therebetween, the pick point spacing in thisinstance preferably being double the pick point spacing in the bandshaving the secondary ice picks therein.

With the foregoing construction, a standard block of ice is split intosmaller rectangular blocks of substantially uniform size and shape as itis propelled along the path by and passes between the two rotors, thesplitting opera tions being performed by the axial rows of primary teethand by the circumferential bands of primary and secondary teeth. Inorder for this splitting action to take place, it is necessary that thespacing of the rotor axes and the distances that the points of theprimary and secondary ice picks are located from the rotor axes be sorelated that the picks penetrate a block of the foregoing standarddimensions distances of at least 2% inches for the foregoing pick pointspacings.

An important object of the invention is to provide an ice breaker whichincludes stationary splitting means carried by the supporting structureon the ice block path downstream from the rotors, the stationarysplitting means including upstream-facing ice picks which split thesmaller blocks produced by the rotors into still smaller, substantiallyrectangular or square blocks of substantially uniform size and shape.

More particularly, another object is to provide a stationary splittingmeans which includes tertiary ice picks arranged in at least one rowparallel to the rotor axes and tetradic ice picks arranged in rowsspaced apart along the row of tertiary ice picks and orientedperpendicularly thereof.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the presentinvention, together with various other objects, advantages, features andresults thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the icebreaking art in the light o f this disclosure, may be attained with theexemplary embodiment of the invention described in detail hereinafterand illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view, partially in elevation and partially in longitudinalsect-ion, illustrating an ice breaker which embodies the invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the arrowed line 2--2of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged sectional views respectively taken along thearrowed lines 33 and 4- 4 of FIG. 2; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views illustrating the manner in which aconventional rectangular block of ice is split by the present invention.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the ice breakerof the invention includes a supporting structure 10 comprising a housing12 which provides a chute or path 14 for a conventional rectangular iceblock 16 to be split by a splitting apparatus 18 within the housing. Thesmaller blocks emanating from the splitting apparatus 18 may be handledin any suitable manner. For example, they may fall into a screw conveyor20 comprising a screw 22- rotatable in a housing 24 and driven by anelectric motor 26.

Considering the splitting apparatus 18, it includes two rotors 23mounted on the supporting structure 10* within the housing 12 thereoffor rotation about spaced, parallel axes respectively disposed onopposite sides of the path 14-, the rotor axes being vertical in theconstruction ill-ustrated. The rotors 28 include shafts 3%) havingthereon bevel gears 32 respectively meshed with bevel gears 34 on acommon drive shaft 36 suitably connected to and driven by an electricmotor 38. With this arrangement, the rotors 28 are driven at equalspeeds and in timed relation, the bevel gears 34 being so orientedrelative to the bevel gears 32 that the rotors 28 are driven in oppositedirections such that successive circumferential portions of the rotorsmove in the downstream direction along the path 14 as they approach eachother.

Each rotor has mounted thereon spaced, generally radial, primary icepicks 40 which are arranged in axially spaced, circumferential bands 42and 44 in planes perpendicular to the axis of such rotor, and which arearranged in circumferentially spaced, axial rows 46 in planes containingthe axis of such rotor. The bands 42 and 44 on each rotor 23 are inregister with the bands 42 and 44 on the other, respectively, and therows 46 on eachrotor register with the rows 46 on the other,respectively, as the rotors are rotated in timed relation.

Each band 44, which is located between two pairs of the bands 42 in theconstruction illustrated, also includes generally radial, secondary icepicks 48 alternating with the primary ice picks 40 in such band.

The distances between the primary ice picks 40 in the rows 46, thedistances between the points of the primary ice picks 40 in the bands42, the distances between the primary and secondary ice picks 40 and 48in the bands 44, and the distances of the primary and secondary icepicks from the axes of the rotors 28 are so related, as hereinbefore setforth, that the rows 46 of primary ice picks and the bands 44 of primaryand secondary ice picks split the block '16, whereas the bands 42 ofprimary ice picks do not. With a standard block 16 having the dimensionshereinbefore given, and with the pick spacings hereinbefore given, theblock is split into eight smaller blocks 50 of substantially the sameshape and size, as shown in FIG. of the drawing. The plane in which theblock 16 is split by the bands 44 of primary and secondary ice picks 40and 48 is designated in FIG. 5 by the numeral 52, some of the points atwhich the block 16 is engaged by the primary and secondary ice picks 4tand 48 of the bands 44 being identified by the numerals 4i and 48 inFIG. 5. The planes along which the block 16 is split by the rows 46 ofprimary ice picks 40 are identified by the numeral 54 in FIG. 5, thepoints of engagement by the primary ice picks of such rows beingidentified by the number 40.

The splitting apparatus 18 also includes stationary splitting means 56,carried by the supporting structure on the path 14 downstream from therotors 28, for splitting the blocks 50 into still smaller blocks 58 ofsubstantially uniform size and shape as the blocks 5%) emerge frombetween the rotors 28. The splitting means 56 includes a bar 60 parallelto the axes of the rotors 28 and bisecting the path 14, and includesbars 62 mounted on the bar 60 in perpendicular relation thereto andextending across the path 14, each bar 62 being located midway betweenthe bands 44 of pick-s 40 and 48 and the corresponding edge of the block16.

The bar 60 carries a row of tertiary ice picks 64 facing upstream of thepath 14 and arranged in a row parallel to the rotor axes. Each bar 62carries tetradic ice picks 66 which also face in the upstream directionand which are in a row perpendicular to the row of tertiary ice picks 64and perpendicular to the path 14.

Referring to FIG. 6 of the drawing, the plane along which the tertiaryice picks 64 split the blocks 50 as they are propelled therea-gainst bythe rotors 28 is designated by the numeral 63, the points at which thepicks 64 engage being designated by the numeral 64 in FIG. 6. The planesin which the tetradic ice picks 66 split the blocks 50 are designated bythe numeral 78 and the points of engagement of these picks areidentified by the numeral 66 in FIG. 6.

Thus, with the construction illustrated, the block 16 is split intothirty-two small rectangular blocks of substantially equal size andshape, each such block weighing approximately eleven pounds. This isaccomplished with almost no formation of small, unusable fragments withthe construction described, which is an important feature.

Although a construction has been disclosed for splitting a standardblock into thirty-two equal blocks, the number into which the standardblock is split may be varied by varying the number of bands 44containing secondary ice picks 48, varying the number of rows 46 ofprimary ice picks 40, varying the number of rows of tertiary ice picks64, varying the number of rows of tetradic ice picks 66, and the like.Consequently, although an exemplary embodiment has been disclosed hereinfor purposes of illustration, it will be understood that variouschanges, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in suchembodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention as definedby the claims which follow:

1. In an ice breaker, the combination of: supporting structure providingan ice block path; two rotors mounted on said supporting structure forrotation about spaced, parallel axes respectively disposed on oppositesides of said path; means connected to said rotors for rotating them inopposite directions in timed relation at the same speeds and in suchdirections that successive circumferential portions of said rotors movein a downstream direction along said path as they approach each other;spaced, generally radial, ice picks on and projecting from each of saidrotors and arranged thereon in a rectangular pattern of axially spaced,circumferential bands in transverse planes perpendicular to the axis ofsuch rotor and circumferentially spaced, axial rows in planes containingthe axis thereof, said bands on one of said rotors being in registerwith said bands on the other, respectively, and said rows on one of saidrotors registering with said rows on the other, respectively, as saidrotors are rotated in timed relation, the tips of said ice picks lyingon circles having radii less than half the spacing of said axes so thatsaid ice picks project less than half way across said ice block pathwhen they project thereinto; and splitting means carried by saidsupporting structure and located on said path downstream from saidrotors.

2. In an ice breaker, the combination of: supporting structure providingan ice block path; two rotors mounted on said supporting structure forrotation about spaced, parallel axes respectively disposed on oppositesides of said path; means connected to said rotors for rotating them inopposite directions in timed relation at the same speeds and in suchdirections that successive circumferential portions of said rotors movein a downstream direction along said path as they approach each other;spaced, generally radial, primary ice picks on and projecting from eachof said rotors and arranged thereon in a rectangular pattern of axiallyspaced, circumferential bands in transverse planes perpendicular to theaxis of such rotor and circumferentially spaced, axial rows in planescontaining the axis thereof, said bands on one of said rotors being inregister with said bands on the other, respectively, and said rows onone of said rotors registering with said rows on the other,respectively, as said rotors are rotated in timed relation; generallyradial, secondary ice picks on and projecting from each of said rotorsand located between said primary ice picks of at least one of said bandsthereon, said bands on said rotors having said secondary ice pickstherein being in register, the tips of said primary and secondary icepicks lying on circles having radii less than half the spacing of saidaxes so that said primary and secondary ice picks extend less than halfway across said ice block path when they project thereinto; andsplitting means carried by said supporting structure and located on saidpath downstream from said rotors.

3. In an ice breaker, the combination of: supporting structure providingan ice block path; two rotors mounted on said supporting structure forrotation about spaced, parallel axes respectively disposed on oppositesides of said path; means connected to said rotors for rotating them inopposite directions in timed relation and in such directions thatsuccessive circumferential portions of said rotors move in a downstreamdirection along said path as they approach each other; spaced, generallyradial, primary ice picks on and projecting from each of said rotors andarranged thereon in axially spaced, circumferential bands in planesperpendicular to the axis of such rotor and in circumferentially spaced,axial rows in planes containing the axis thereof, said bands on one ofsaid rotors being 1n register with said bands on the other,respectively, and said rows on one of said rotors registering with saidrows on the other, respectively, as said rotors are rotated in timedrelation; generally radial, secondary ice picks on and projecting fromeach of said rotors and located between said primary ice picks of atleast one of said bands thereon, said bands on said rotors having saidsecondary ice picks therein being in register; and splitting meanscarned by said supporting structure and located on said path downstreamfrom said rotors, said splitting means ineluding tertiary ice picksfacing upstream of said path and arranged in at least one row parallelto said axes.

4. In an ice breaker, the combination of: supporting structure providingan ice block path; two rotors mounted on said supporting structure forrotation about spaced, parallel axes respectively disposed on oppositesides of said path; means connected to said rotors for rotating them inopposite directions in timed relation and in such directions thatsuccessive circumferential portions of said rotors move in a downstreamdirection along said path as they approach each other; spaced, generallyradial, primary ice picks on and projecting from each of said rotors andarranged thereon in axially spaced, circumferential bands in planesperpendicular to the axis of such rotor and in circumferentially spaced,axial rows in planes containing the axis thereof, said bands on one ofsaid rotors being in register with said bands on the other,respectively, and said rows on one of said rotors registering with saidrows on the other, respectively, as said rotors are rotated in timedrelation; generally radial, secondary ice picks on and projecting fromeach of said rotors and located between said primary ice picks of atleast one of said bands thereon, said bands on said rotors having saidsecondary ice picks therein being in register; and splitting meanscarried by said supporting structure and located on said path downstreamfrom said rotors, said splitting means including tertiary ice picksfacing upstream of said path and arranged in at least one row parallelto said axes, and said splitting means including tetradic ice picksfacing upstream of said path and arranged in at least one rowperpendicular to said path and perpendicular to said roW of tertiary icepicks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,449,132 Lucia Sept. 14, 1948 2,537,779 McLain et a1. Jan. 9, 19512,590,499 Braswell Mar. 25, 1952 2,643,522 McLain June 30, 19532,684,209 Gangemi July 20, 1954 2,762,410 Stahl Sept. 11, 1956 2,839,254Smith June 17, 1958 2,919,560 Beemer et al. Jan. 5, 1960

1. IN AN ICE BREAKER, THE COMBINATION OF: SUPPORTING STRUCTURE PROVIDINGAN ICE BLOCK PATH; TWO ROTORS MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FORROTATION ABOUT SPACED, PARALLEL AXES RESPECTIVELY DISPOSED ON OPPOSITESIDES OF SAID PATH; MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID ROTORS FOR ROTATING THEM INOPPOSITE DIRECTIONS IN TIME RELATION AT THE SAME SPEEDS AND IN SUCHDIRECTIONS THAT SUCCESSIVE CIRCUMFERENTIAL PORTIONS OF SAID ROTORS MOVEIN A DOWNSTREAM DIRECTION ALONG SAID PATH AS THEY APPROACH EACH OTHER;SPACED, GENERALLY RADIAL, ICE PICKS ON AND PROJECTING FROM EACH OF SAIDROTORS AND ARRANGED THEREON IN A RECTANGULAR PATTERN OF AXIALLY SPACED,CIRCUMFERENTIAL BANDS IN TRANSVERSE PLANES PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS OFSUCH ROTOR AND CIRCUMFERENTIAL SPACED, AXIALLY ROWS IN PLANES CONTAININGTHE AXIS THEREOF, SAID BANDS ON ONE OF SAID ROTORS BEING IN REGISTERWITH SAID BANDS ON THE OTHER, RESPECTIVELY, AND SAID ROWS ON ONE OF SAIDROTORS REGISTERING WITH SAID ROWS ON THE OTHER, RESPECTIVELY, AS SAIDROTORS ARE ROTATED IN TIMED RELATION, THE TIPS OF SAID ICE PICKS LYINGON CIRCLES HAVING RADII LESS THAN HALF THE SPACING OF AID AXES SO THATSAID ICE PICKS PROJECT LESS THAN HALF WAY ACROSS SAID ICE BLOCK PATHWHEN THEY PROJECT THEREINTO; AND SPLITTING MEANS CARRIED BY SAIDSUPPORTING STRUCTURE AND LOCATED ON SAID PATH DOWNSTREAM FROM SAIDROTORS.